Women in Business are excited to honor Shannon Rylko of Blackbird Digital as a 2025 Gottfried Woman of the Quarter.
Shannon Rylko
Gottfried Woman of the Quarter Q&A
Q: Describe your business and what you do.
I’m the Business Development Associate at Blackbird Digital, a woman and veteran-owned digital marketing agency based in Naperville. We help businesses grow by creating and maintaining websites, managing SEO, paid advertising, social media, email marketing, and more. I connect with local companies, listen to their goals, and craft strategies that fit their needs. Whether that’s a new website, better search visibility, or a full-service marketing plan.
Beyond sales, I focus on building relationships, not just closing deals. I stay active in the Naperville Chamber’s Teamwork Committee, bring community connections together, and make sure our clients feel supported long after a contract is signed.
Q: What do you love most about your work?
What I love most is the human connection and the chance to make life easier for other business owners. I come from a small-business family and know firsthand how overwhelming the daily decisions can be. That perspective helps me relate to clients who are juggling countless priorities and trying to grow while keeping their sanity.
I also value the energy and collaboration inside Blackbird. After client meetings, I enjoy sharing wins and new opportunities with my team, knowing I have leaders who encourage me to stretch and grow. Their support makes it easy to give my best every day.
I believe that when you do a good, honest job, magic happens. I treat every client the way I would want to be treated: listening carefully, being transparent, and acting with integrity. Whether I am crafting a full-service marketing strategy or guiding a website toward launch, my goal is to lift the weight off someone else’s shoulders and help their business shine.
Seeing those ideas come to life and watching a client’s excitement when their site is launched and begins attracting new customers reminds me every day why I love this work. It is about building partnerships, not just projects, and creating lasting growth for people and communities I care about.
Q: What led you down your career path?
I became a young mom, so my options felt limited, but I also knew I had to figure it out. I graduated from high school early and started at College of DuPage on my 18th birthday, studying criminal justice because I was fascinated by forensics. A highlight was a two-week program at the University of London, where I studied the criminal justice system firsthand and gained a global perspective. I then continued my education at Lewis University in Romeoville.
I quickly realized that Wheaton, Illinois, isn’t CSI Las Vegas (in a very good way)! In that respect, opportunities in forensic work were slim. With a little girl depending on me, I needed a path that could provide both stability and purpose. I took a temporary job at a company that built websites and found myself equally intrigued by the creativity and strategy of the digital world.
Almost by accident, I discovered I had a natural talent for sales and connection, and that passion for helping businesses tell their stories and grow online turned into a fulfilling career. What began as a practical decision to provide for my daughter has become a journey defined by curiosity, problem-solving, and building lasting relationships.
Q: What advice do you have for other women in business?
My best advice is to trust yourself and begin before you feel ready. I became a mom as a teenager without a perfect plan, but taking action created clarity. I often call my life perfectly imperfect, proof that sometimes the perfect family is simply a mom and her kids. Even in the busiest seasons, I give everything I can to my family, my clients, and my community. Every step, even the messy ones, has strengthened me and shaped the perspective I rely on today.
Do not wait for the perfect moment; just begin. Build genuine relationships, treat people the way you would want to be treated, and own your worth and your story. Your experiences, both wins and struggles, become strengths that inspire others and create connections beyond business. My faith has become a quiet but steady guide, helping me stay grounded, hopeful, and focused on what truly matters. Above all, guard your sanity and remember that balance, grace, and perseverance are the real keys to long-term success.
Q: Name someone in your life who inspires you and tell us why.
For 25 years, I have told my kids that failing is not an option, and they are the reason I live by that mantra. When I became a teen mom, statistics said I would fail, but my children became my reason to prove otherwise. They remain my greatest source of inspiration and the driving force behind everything I do.
All three of my children inspire me in different ways. My oldest, now 25, is balancing work, nursing school, and motherhood, and she recently made the Dean’s List for summer 2025, a milestone that fills me with pride. My middle child, 13, keeps me laughing and grounded with curiosity and creativity, while my youngest, 7, reminds me every day of the simple joy of discovery. Together, they motivate me to create a life that is stable, loving, and full of possibility. And now, with two grandsons in the mix, I am constantly reminded to focus on the bigger picture and to find joy in every stage of life.
I could not have done any of this without my mom, who has been my quiet hero from the start. When I was juggling school, work, and even a study-abroad program in London, she cared for my daughter and helped me raise her. I am forever grateful for her unconditional love and steady support. Because of her, I did not fail either.
My children also think it is pretty cool that I was nominated for this honor, knowing I set a goal last year to work toward it. Their excitement drives me to keep striving, no matter the outcome. My children and the generations we are now raising show me that strength does not come from a perfect path but from perseverance, love, and showing up day after day.
Q: What other passions and hobbies do you have?
Outside of work, I love making memories with my kids. Few things beat the thrill of riding roller coasters together; it releases a force I cannot even explain. For the past three years, we have also gone tent camping, creating new adventures and inside jokes around the campfire. At home, I am a bit of an overachieving mom, always crafting and dreaming up creative surprises, especially during the holidays. I happily stay up late arranging our Elf on the Shelf antics just to see their faces light up in the morning, and I will keep it up until they no longer believe in the magic. I also enjoy simple moments like cooking dinner together, walking around the block, or cheering them on at their activities. Memories that mean just as much as the big adventures.
Giving back is part of that same spirit. Serving on nonprofit boards has been deeply fulfilling because it lets me model compassion and service for my children and grandsons. It is another way we make memories together while showing that kindness and community matter.
Q: Aside from the Chamber, how do you stay connected within the Naperville community?
Beyond the Chamber, I stay connected to Naperville through active community leadership. I serve on the American Parkinson’s Association Illinois Chapter board, helping plan and promote their annual fundraiser walk downtown. Before that, I held a vice president role with Flying for Hope, a nonprofit that hosted its fundraisers at Hotel Arista. These experiences have helped me build deep, lasting relationships across the local nonprofit and business community.
I also stay present as a mom and neighbor, supporting local restaurants, schools, and small businesses, and introducing others to the resources and connections that can help them grow. For me, staying connected is about showing up, lending a hand, and paying it forward wherever I see a need.
Gottfried Woman of the Quarter Bio
Shannon Rylko is a Business Development Associate at Blackbird Digital, a woman and veteran-owned digital marketing agency based in Naperville. She helps businesses grow through website development, SEO, full-service marketing, and meaningful community connections. Known for her ability to listen, strategize, and connect, Shannon focuses on building long-term relationships rather than quick projects and treats every client the way she would want to be treated.
Shannon’s career path reflects both resilience and curiosity. A teen mom who graduated high school early, she began college on her eighteenth birthday and studied criminal justice, even traveling to the University of London to learn about the UK criminal justice system. When local opportunities in forensics proved limited, she pivoted by taking a temporary job at a web design company and discovered a new passion for technology, strategy, and sales. Over time, she turned that practical decision into a thriving career built on problem-solving and authentic relationships.
Away from work, Shannon calls her life “perfectly imperfect.” She is a single mom and proud GiGi (never grandma!), and you will rarely see her without her family. She is the sole day-to-day support for her younger children, a role that deepens her resilience and sense of purpose. Her grandsons keep her focused on the bigger picture and remind her to find joy in every stage of life. Whether she is riding roller coasters with her kids, tent camping, or masterminding late-night Elf on the Shelf adventures, Shannon brings creativity and heart to everything she does. Deeply committed to giving back, she serves on the American Parkinson’s Association Illinois Chapter board and previously held a vice president role with Flying for Hope, helping raise funds for families in crisis. Shannon lives her mantra that failing is not an option by showing up every day with honesty, grit, and a love for her community.
Shannon Rylko, Blackbird Digital